Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed at 1am!?!

[Mynx]

Evie's a pretty good sleeper most of the time... except when she's teething then she'll be really unsettled, crying out randomly in the middle of the night etc.
She goes to bed at 7.30pm and gets up around 8.30am and has no daytime nap.. she cut this out herself about 3 months ago, which is when we started putting her to bed at 7.30pm... her previous routine (when she was napping for an hour and half during the day) would be bed at 8.30pm and awake at 5am so she's definately doing better with no nap, BUT... the last week or so she's been waking up at about 1am and laying there talking to herself or playing with the teddies on her bed! She doesnt get out of bed... even in the mornings to come and get me lol! She'll lay there and call me or chat to herself/teddies.

Question is... why on earth is she waking up and talking to herself? She's not hungry/thirsty as she doesnt actually ask for anything.. it's not separation anxiety because she's quite happy to watch us walk out the bedroom when we've tucked her in... it's not cos she's wet/dirty as she seems happy in herself... I just wondered if there are any other toddlers going thru this "Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed at 1am" phase!

 

[BethK]

Last night we did! From 2am - 6am LO was wide awake! We tried everything but she was perfectly happy and just wanted to play! She's never done that before. I'm hoping it's just down to teeth and tonight will be better.

 

[RachA]

Something, possibly teeth, is waking her. If she is quite happy just chatting to herself then i would leave her to settle herself back to sleep. If you start going in and trying to get her to go back to sleep then she will realise that she can wake up in the night and get attention from you.

The other thing that could be waking her up is feeling cold. The temperature usually dips down anytime from 1am to 5am - this partly depends on what time you turn the heating off and partly on the outside air temp - it could be the chill that is waking her. If she does start be wake up and be a bit unsettled it could be worth putting an extra blanket over her before you go to bed at night in order to pre-empt the drop in temp.

 

[minties]

Thomas has been doing that lately! It's a tad annoying as we share a bed.

 

[Mynx]

Something, possibly teeth, is waking her. If she is quite happy just chatting to herself then i would leave her to settle herself back to sleep. If you start going in and trying to get her to go back to sleep then she will realise that she can wake up in the night and get attention from you.

The other thing that could be waking her up is feeling cold. The temperature usually dips down anytime from 1am to 5am - this partly depends on what time you turn the heating off and partly on the outside air temp - it could be the chill that is waking her. If she does start be wake up and be a bit unsettled it could be worth putting an extra blanket over her before you go to bed at night in order to pre-empt the drop in temp.

Good point about the cold, I usually put a blanket over her duvet before I go to bed at night but she nearly always throws that, and the duvet off at some point and of course will wake up cold lol! She's always been quite an acrobatic sleeper

We're trying out something slightly different tonight, giving her dinner a little later and making sure that she has a longer wind-down before bed, and tomorrow we'll try a slightly earlier bedtime. We're wondering if maybe she's overtired/over stimulated when she goes to bed

 

[RachA]

It could be.

Also you saying about changing her eating time made me think of something. You digest your food a certain amount of time after you've eaten. Quite often this is why as an adult we wake during the night. But as an adult you just go straight back to sleep. The amount of time is something like 5 hours after you've eaten that you digest. It could be that that is waking your lo.

 

[Mynx]

Well she's gone down at her usual time having demolished a 6oz bottle of milk which we surprised at considering she had a late dinner!
Time will tell, I'll update in the morning

Thanks girls

 

[DaisyBee]

Megan does this quite often and we can't figure out anything to help her. We've tried lots of things.. Earlier bedtime, later bedtime. Less nap, longer nap. Meds if it's teething. Later dinner, a snack right before bed, hmmm. Other things as well just can't think. Lol. Our furnace runs at night... And so the house is a constant temp... But we've also tried lighter pjs in case she was hot, and bought some bigger fleece sleep sacks incase she was cold.

Megan doesn't wake at the same time each time she does it either... But if it's around 3am then she sometimes won't go back to sleep at all.

This was happening a lot with her when she was around 18 mo and then stopped and then started again. I'm thinking it has to be related to teething or developmental. She has a hard time shutting her brain off I think and I'm wondering if that is related.

 

[angelae36]

Finally there are other children just like my 2 year old daughter
I'm sorry to sound so happy because I really am not! I'm just relieved that I'm not alone anymore, few people believe that a child can be awake at night for hours and not be screaming/crying! Even the health visitor was surprised at this problem and was no help at all.

My story is she's has been waking up anywhere between 10pm and 4am and when she does she's awake for upto 5 hours, quite happily talking, singing, playing. For over a year - most nights.

We've tried later bedtime (but she doesn't nap so she's usually asleep by 7)
Trying to force a nap to force a later bedtime - but if she does nap then the later bedtime is around 9-10pm (regardless how long she napped for or when) and even then, she has been known to still wake up in the night.
Earlier tea-time to allow a snack before bed.
Toast after her bath.
Later tea-time, then bath, then bed.
She still has milk before bed and always "calming time", but her getting to sleep is rarely a problem - unlsess she's had a nap!
She's not hot/cold/hungry/wet/dirty.

When she wakes we've tried giving her milk/a drink as soon as she does wake, leaving her for a couple of hours then giving her some, leaving her for 4 hours then giving her some or just not giving her anything.
It doesn't make a difference to how long shes awake for.

I've tried taking her out every day and letting her run riot just to tire her out and she still wakes.
Mostly now we just make sure she stays in her room and let her get on with it!

I am pretty much at my wits end with her and really don't know what to do. I've come to the conclusion she just doesn't need a lot of sleep.

So if anyone can think of anything else I'd be eternally grateful!
Thanks for reading if you've got this far!

 

[Mynx]

Well, last night went really well! I did what RachA suggested... I put on an extra blanket around an hour after she fell asleep and she had a much more settled night... she cried out a couple of times in her sleep but nothing that woke her up, it was more a shout and then she was quiet again. DH said she was babbling for a few seconds here and there but it sounds like she was talking in her sleep (I do the same heh) rather than being wide awake and talking to her teddies

Sooooo we're not sure if it was the later dinner, the longer wind down time, or the extra blanket so tonight we'll have dinner at our usual time and see what happens It may have been a one off, who knows

For the ladies that are having the same problem, I really wish I could suggest something to help you out! Angelae, I'm thinking maybe try a longer wind down before bed? Some extra quiet time to help your LO's brain switch off before bed?

 

[angelae36]

For the ladies that are having the same problem, I really wish I could suggest something to help you out! Angelae, I'm thinking maybe try a longer wind down before bed? Some extra quiet time to help your LO's brain switch off before bed?

Thanks Mynx, I'm so pleased you had a better night!

A longer wind down time is indeed a posibility and one I actually hadn't thought of as by the time she gets to 6.30, she's practically begging to go to bed as she's so tired.
But it is definately something I'll try tonight - and I will also check on her temperature when we go to bed and see about adding a blanket.

I think she's actually over-tired so hopefully longer calming will help her to switch off.

Fingers crossed we all have a good night tonight!

 

[Mynx]

Let me know how you get on hun! Good luck tonight

 

[angelae36]

Thanks, I'm feeling quite positive and hopeful!
We've just got back from an hour at the playground too. It can only help!!

 

[angelae36]

As expected Abbie was quite adamant she wanted to go to bed.
She did take herself at 4pm when Daddy was with her. He got to doing something else and didn't realise she had gone to sleep so I had to go wake her up.

After that it was tea, bath, wind down time - with a peppa pig book she loves to look at but won't let me read it!
Then bed, Thomas the tank engine favourite book was read, but only once, quite boringly!

I'm not hopeful, and if she does sleep through I expect it'll be because she's knackered from last night.
I will keep up with the new routine though because it just makes so much sense! If my mum was still around (how I miss her) she'd have pointed that one out to me ages ago
Thanks again to all who are trying to help. Maybe between us we can find a permanent solution.

 

[DaisyBee]

Megan usually has a very long wind down time so not sure that is it with her. after dinner we have tried more active play to see if that helps but it doesn't. She also has days of lots of outdoor play and still wakes at night. We tried to cut out naps but she was still awake at night... So then would only get maybe 6-7 hrs in 24 hrs. not fun for any of us!

Her typical wind down includes drinking milk while in her room with softer lights with daddy reading her books. That can last 1/2 hr as she loves her books. Then potty ( not potty trained yet but she will pee before bed), pjs on, then bedtime books with me 3-4, and then we brush her teeth. Lights off and I put her in her crib. If she naps too long during the day it will take her a while to fall asleep... But either way she falls asleep by herself. But I've been trying to shorten her naps so that she's not overtired but will still be tired for bedtime. And doesn't make a difference if she falls asleep at 7pm or 9pm she will still wake in the night or early am.

We did cc at 13 months and she would fall asleep quickly without issue then and sleep through the night without a peep. She would sleep 12 hrs at night and 2 hr nap. Around 18 months she started really talking loads ( she had like 250 words by 20 months) and was also teething. And this waking and talking, giggling all night long started then. Then it seemed like it got better. And since november ( 2year molars started then?!?) she has been doing it again. It really makes me wonder if somehow the teeth wake her and then her brain just won't let her fall back asleep? She is very bright... Her dr said that she talks more like a 3 year old than a 2 year old. She does get overstimulated easily and is sensitive to things. As an infant she would have a 3 hr meltdown after a trip to the grocery store. Other kids would sleep in the store at 4 months old.. She never would. She also doesn't sleep in the car or stroller... As she just won't "shut off". Maybe now it's just habit or she's just now in such a cycle she can't stop it. She does have the occasional night where she won't do this.... But NOTHING is different. We did the same routine, same sort of day, same meal time, etc.

 

[angelae36]

Well Abbie had a less stimulating wind down, went dstraight to sleep and slept through!
However I expect this is more down to being exhausted after 3 nights of being awake!

But I'll keep trying!

DaiseyBee, it's quite frustrating isn't it?
I wish I could suggest something to help you, but it sounds like you've tried everything like us.

 

[MissTanya]

Finally there are other children just like my 2 year old daughter
I'm sorry to sound so happy because I really am not! I'm just relieved that I'm not alone anymore, few people believe that a child can be awake at night for hours and not be screaming/crying! Even the health visitor was surprised at this problem and was no help at all.

My story is she's has been waking up anywhere between 10pm and 4am and when she does she's awake for upto 5 hours, quite happily talking, singing, playing. For over a year - most nights.

We've tried later bedtime (but she doesn't nap so she's usually asleep by 7)
Trying to force a nap to force a later bedtime - but if she does nap then the later bedtime is around 9-10pm (regardless how long she napped for or when) and even then, she has been known to still wake up in the night.
Earlier tea-time to allow a snack before bed.
Toast after her bath.
Later tea-time, then bath, then bed.
She still has milk before bed and always "calming time", but her getting to sleep is rarely a problem - unlsess she's had a nap!
She's not hot/cold/hungry/wet/dirty.

When she wakes we've tried giving her milk/a drink as soon as she does wake, leaving her for a couple of hours then giving her some, leaving her for 4 hours then giving her some or just not giving her anything.
It doesn't make a difference to how long shes awake for.

I've tried taking her out every day and letting her run riot just to tire her out and she still wakes.
Mostly now we just make sure she stays in her room and let her get on with it!

I am pretty much at my wits end with her and really don't know what to do. I've come to the conclusion she just doesn't need a lot of sleep.

So if anyone can think of anything else I'd be eternally grateful!
Thanks for reading if you've got this far!

I think you've just described my son!!! I too am so so glad I am not alone!! I did post a thread about this (might have been before Christmas) but unfortunately it seemed like no one else was experiencing it or had any idea what could have been causing it!!

My son began his 'night time antics' about 3months ago (at age 20months). He play, laugh, squeal, chat, roll around his cot for anywhere up to 3hrs before falling asleep. Then after about 4hrs of sleep (or as you described, anywhere typically between 10pm-4am) he gets up for another 3-5hrs, before going back to sleep for a few more hours. He went from sleeping 11hrs at night to between 6-8hrs at night.

Hubby and I would be up for hours listening to him. We've tried everything we can think of too, but he is just plain happy doing his own thing in his cot, he is not upset nor needs comforting. We've tried settling...but now he will sometimes pretend to be asleep if we go in, until we leave the room!!

In the past month we've had a wee bit of improvement. I've cut his 2hr day nap down to 1.5hrs and won't let him nap any later than 3pm. Now he goes to bed pretty well...it now takes him between 5mins - 60mins to go to sleep. Not as good as he used to be, but much better than taking 2-3 hrs!

Occasionally now he sleeps through, but he wont sleep longer than 9hrs at most, which means he is up as early as 4.30/5am. We leave him in his cot where he happily does his 'thing' until the sun comes up on his clock at 6.20am.
But those nights where he doesn't wake are quite rare tbh.

In the past month when he has been waking for up to 4hrs in the middle of the night, he no longer jumps about and rolls about his cot and is squealing a bit less (he was so loud!!)...so another slight improvement.

Hubby and I now turn down the monitor as soon as we hear him starting up his 'nightly antics' and in the past month I have been learning to sleep through it (thank goodness because I am pregnant and knackered!!)

Honestly don't know what is causing it, have been hoping it is a developmental phase that will pass (please let it pass!!). It started for us the same time I found out I was pregnant and right about when his talking/vocabulary started taking off.

Honestly, I am dumbfounded and have no advice....but you have all my sympathy!!!

 

[MissTanya]

Oh yeah....should have said, my parents when we visited for 3weeks (in Australia) were dumbfounded too and couldn't believe it!!....

My mum thinks he must have a ghost friend with whom he is happily playing with, as there is no other logical explanation for his 'night time happy but very noisy' behaviour!! LOL!!

 

[angelae36]

Oh yeah....should have said, my parents when we visited for 3weeks (in Australia) were dumbfounded too and couldn't believe it!!....

My mum thinks he must have a ghost friend with whom he is happily playing with, as there is no other logical explanation for his 'night time happy but very noisy' behaviour!! LOL!!

I'm sorry I missed your earlier post on this because I would definately have replied! I was so pleased on Sunday when I found this thread because Abbies nightly antics have been getting me down and I was thinking I was alone!

It's funny you mention about ghosts, I've lost both my parents and I often "tell them off" in the middle of the night when Abbie is doing her full belly laugh!

Anyway, I too have learnt to sleep through a lot of her nights awake, mainly through exhaustion! Abbie is in a bed so she can and does come running through to us but I put her back and make sure she can't come out of her room again otherwise we'd be up and down all night.
Theres nothing else I can do!

We've just had 2 full nights from her but I don't expect it to last.
Anyway knowing I am no longer alone is helping!

 

[Mynx]

Well, Evie has been restless the last few nights and has had the odd chat in bed but nothing that lasted more than a few minutes
She now has a longer wind down time, slightly later dinner (altho I dont think this makes a lot of difference tbh) and an extra blanket. Last night we had to put a second extra blanket on as she felt pretty cool while she was restless so I'm really starting to think that it's the cold that's been waking her up!

Soooo all in all, she's sleeping much better, even if she is still noisy!!

How's everyone else's little ones doing with the advice from this thread?